The sunny-faced flowers of this fun and easy to grow plant are universally loved. Appearing on tall stems, the flowerheads can grow up to 30cm across, and consist of a row of petal-like florets surrounding a large eye, which turns darker with age as the seeds develop. These seeds are loved by many different kinds of birds, so the plants are ideal for wildlife friendly gardens. Where space is limited they can even be grown in large pots, provided they are kept well fed and watered.

Garden care:Under glass, start them off in late winter by planting the seeds up to 5cm deep in deep pots or root trainers filled with good seed compost. When large enough to handle, plant outside in spring after gradually hardening off. Alternatively, sow directly into a well-prepared seed bed in spring and thin to 30cm as they grow. If sowing outside, temporarily cover the bed with a net to protect the seeds from birds, and keep an eye out for slugs and snails when the seedlings emerge.